YHS?students compete at district chorus festival

Recently, students from Youngsville High School (YHS) competed in the District Two Chorus Festival held at Oswayo Valley High School.

The District Chorus Festival occurs every year for choral students. Each year, schools send students to represent their area at the event. With more than 40 schools represented at the gathering, students get the chance to learn different vocal styles of music and share their experiences. Three students from Youngsville: Hannah Camp, Samantha Tome and Andy Lalwani were able to travel distance to sing with other students; however, this was not your ordinary choir.

Upon arriving, the students from the surrounding areas talked with friends old and new and made their way with music in hand. After settling down from the excitement, everyone was welcomed to the event and auditions began. These auditions, as some individuals may call, “the most terrifying moments of their life,” decide whether or not singers advance to the next festival – region choir.

Even though the auditions took place in just little time after arriving, the singers have been preparing for a long period of time. Students from YHS actually auditioned in the choir room to see if they were going sing at districts, yet those auditions were far less nerve racking. After their auditions for districts, the Youngsville singers then studied their districts music to see if they could earn a spot at region choir as well.

The next morning, seating for regions was announced, and many students from Warren County qualified for the next festival. In total, five members from the area were able to sing their way to the top, including Youngsville’s Andrew Lalwani.

For the next two days, the participants practiced for 18 hours. Conductor Robert Ward and accompanist Casey Cook taught the students how to properly sing all of their songs with helpful sayings like, “rhythm is the paramount of music.”